This is a common problem. There’s nothing worse than espresso that’s tastes horrible. The perfect shot should take between 25-28 seconds. If your espresso is too watery and extracts too quickly – don’t worry. We’re here to give you tips to fix this and get your espresso shots extracting at a better rate. Watery espresso is most likely occurring for the following reasons:

Bean Quality – Make sure you have good beans. Starbucks is a no-no. Their beans suck and are usually burnt. I personally use Intelligentsia at home. Also, make sure they’re properly sealed and stored. The freshness of your beans can have a massive effect on their extraction. Old beans will result in poor shots.

Grind – This should go without saying but a good coffee grinder will go a long, long way. Even more important is the grind of the beans. The finer the grind, the slower water will come through. Play around with your grind settings until you find the perfect spot for your taste.

Tamping Pressure – Tamping is a vital component to a quality shot of espresso. Too hard and water wont be able to get through (resulting in an incredibly slow shot). Too soft and water will pour through (resulting in a quick shot). 30lbs of pressure is ideal.

Amount of coffee – Too much coffee will result in a slow shot. Too little, a faster shot. Experiment.

Extracting the perfect shot will take practice. Play around with the above settings until you reach perfection. Patience is key. It can be frustrating but have no fear – you’ll get it! Use a stopwatch to time your shots. Remember, 30lbs of pressure when tamping and a shot between 25-28 seconds is your goal.